Alex Kurtzman

{{Infobox person

| name = Alex Kurtzman

| image = Alex Kurtzman San Diego Comic Con 2019.jpg

| caption = Kurtzman at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con

| birth_name = Alexander Hilary Kurtzman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|09|07}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| education =

| employer =

| occupation = {{hlist|Screenwriter|producer|director}}

| known_for = Co-founder of K/O Paper Products, founder of Secret Hideout

| spouse = {{marriage|Samantha Counter|2002}}

| other_names =

| partner =

| children =

| parents =

| relatives =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

| yearsactive = 1996–present

}}

Alexander Hilary Kurtzman (born September 7, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for co-writing the scripts to Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) with his writing and producing partner Roberto Orci, and directing and co-writing The Mummy (2017). He made his directorial debut with People Like Us (2012), co-written alongside Orci and Jody Lambert.

Kurtzman is known, alongside Orci, for frequently collaborating with Michael Bay and J.J. Abrams, as well as co-creating the TV series Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Early life and education

Kurtzman was born into a Jewish family{{cite news | url= http://www.jewishjournal.com/arts/article/screenwriter_alex_kurtzman_transforms_filmdoms_giant_robot_genre_20070706 | work= Jewish Journal | title= Screenwriter Alex Kurtzman 'Transforms' filmdom's giant robot genre | first= Adam | last= Wills | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160920210323/http://www.jewishjournal.com/arts/article/screenwriter_alex_kurtzman_transforms_filmdoms_giant_robot_genre_20070706 | archivedate= September 20, 2016 | date= July 5, 2007}}{{cite news| url= https://variety.com/2009/film/features/abrams-keeps-it-all-in-the-fan-family-1118010053/ | work= Variety | title=Abrams keeps it all in the fan family – J.J. and his collaborators conquer Hollywood | first= Cynthia | last= Littleton |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20181211123451/https://variety.com/2009/film/features/abrams-keeps-it-all-in-the-fan-family-1118010053/ |archivedate= December 11, 2018 | date= October 16, 2009 | quote= We’re all self-deprecating short Jews, with the exception of Bob Orci| accessdate=}}{{cite news | url= http://jewishjournal.com/uncategorized/71432/ | work= Jewish Journal | title= Jews Get Geek on at Comic-Con | first= Adam | last= Wills |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20180708220916/http://jewishjournal.com/uncategorized/71432/ |archivedate= July 8, 2018 | date= July 22, 2009| accessdate=}} and raised in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web| url= http://stars.ign.com/objects/910/910973_biography.html| title=Alex Kurtzman Biography| work=IGN.com |access-date= August 16, 2012| url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120106163910/http://stars.ign.com/objects/910/910973_biography.html|archive-date=January 6, 2012}} His longtime screenwriting partner Roberto Orci was his best friend in high school.

Kurtzman attended Wesleyan University.{{cite news| last= Itzkoff| first=Dave|title=Character-Driven Films (but Keep the Kaboom) |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/movies/24dave.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0| work= The New York Times | date=June 24, 2007|access-date=February 21, 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170816150657/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/movies/24dave.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0| archive-date= August 16, 2017| url-status=live}}

Career

Kurtzman first teamed with Orci on the syndicated series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, for the television unit of Pacific Renaissance Pictures, then operating out of Universal International. After they produced several storylines to cope with the absence of lead actor Kevin Sorbo following a stroke that Sorbo had suffered during the fourth season, Kurtzman and Orci, both aged 24, were placed in charge of the show. They moved into films after they were asked to rewrite Michael Bay's The Island. The film earned nearly $163 million at the worldwide box office, on a budget of $126 million, which was enough of a success that they were brought in to write Bay's Transformers, which earned $710 million. Though The Island, Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen were not particularly well received by critics, the three films earned a combined $1.7 billion. They co-created the Fox TV series Fringe in 2008 along with J. J. Abrams. After the pilot, Kurtzman served as consulting producer on the show for the remainder of its run.{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/2011/05/17/celebrity-100-11-roberto-orci-alex-kurtzman-films-secret-weapons.html | work=Forbes | first=Dorothy | last=Pomerantz | title=Roberto Orci And Alex Kurtzman: Hollywood's Secret Weapons | date=May 18, 2011 | access-date=August 24, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801050935/https://www.forbes.com/2011/05/17/celebrity-100-11-roberto-orci-alex-kurtzman-films-secret-weapons.html | archive-date=August 1, 2017 | url-status=live }} They then co-wrote the 2009 film Star Trek.

In 2011, Forbes magazine described Orci and Kurtzman as "Hollywood's Secret Weapons" as, over the course of the previous six years, their films had grossed a combined total of over $3 billion at the box office. The partnership also wrote People Like Us, originally known as Welcome to People, which was Kurtzman's theatrical directorial debut.

Kurtzman has frequently worked with a tight-knit group of film professionals which include J. J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Adam Horowitz, Roberto Orci, Edward Kitsis, Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner, and Bryan Burk. In April 2014, both Orci and Kurtzman confirmed to Variety that they would no longer work together on film projects; they added that they would still work together—but only on television projects.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/biz/news/alex-kurtzman-roberto-orci-splitting-up-on-big-screen-exclusive-1201160542/|title=Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci Splitting Up on Bigscreen (EXCLUSIVE)|publisher=Variety|date=April 22, 2014|access-date=April 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423163144/http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/alex-kurtzman-roberto-orci-splitting-up-on-big-screen-exclusive-1201160542/|archive-date=April 23, 2014|url-status=live}}

In 2018, Kurtzman signed a new five-year deal with CBS Television Studios to oversee and expand the Star Trek franchise on television, including serving as executive producer on Star Trek: Discovery (which he also co-showruns with Michelle Paradise{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/star-trek-discovery-renewed-season-3-cbs-all-access-michelle-paradise-alex-kurtzman-co-showrunner-1202565915/|title='Star Trek: Discovery' Renewed For Season 3 At CBS All Access, Michelle Paradise Joins Alex Kurtzman As Co-Showrunner|publisher=Deadline|date=February 27, 2019|access-date=February 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122083017/https://deadline.com/2019/02/star-trek-discovery-renewed-season-3-cbs-all-access-michelle-paradise-alex-kurtzman-co-showrunner-1202565915/|archive-date=November 22, 2019|url-status=live}}), Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/alex-kurtzman-star-trek-franchise-expansion-overall-deal-cbs-tv-studios-1202413294/|title=Alex Kurtzman To Shepherd 'Star Trek' Franchise Expansion Under New 5-Year Overall Deal With CBS TV Studios|publisher=Deadline|date=June 19, 2018|access-date=February 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121135347/https://deadline.com/2018/06/alex-kurtzman-star-trek-franchise-expansion-overall-deal-cbs-tv-studios-1202413294/|archive-date=November 21, 2019|url-status=live}}

In August 2021, Kurtzman and his production company Secret Hideout extended their overall deal with CBS Studios through 2026.{{cite web|title=Alex Kurtzman Inks Mega New Overall Deal With CBS Studios|url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/alex-kurtzman-mega-overall-deal-cbs-studios-secret-hideout-stephen-king-1234806977/|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=August 1, 2021}}

Personal life

In 2002, Kurtzman married Samantha Counter, the daughter of lawyer Nick Counter.{{cite news|last=Hubler|first=Shawn|title=Reel life was his real love|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/27/entertainment/et-hosney27/3|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=June 27, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715011413/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/27/entertainment/et-hosney27/3|archive-date=July 15, 2014|url-status=dead}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year

! Title

! width=65 | Director

! width=65 | Writer

! width=65 | Producer

! Notes

rowspan=2|2005

| The Island

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

The Legend of Zorro

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2006

| Mission: Impossible III

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2007

| Transformers

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=3|2009

| Watchmen

| {{no}}

| {{partial|Uncredited}}

| {{no}}

| Script polish{{cite web | author = Roberto Orci | title = The All New "Hey Roberto" Thread | publisher = Don Murphy | date = August 10, 2008 | url = http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1213399&postcount=14649 | access-date = October 22, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090202010139/http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1213399&postcount=14649 | archive-date = February 2, 2009 | url-status = live }}

Star Trek

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{partial|Executive}}

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2011

| Cowboys & Aliens

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2012

| People Like Us

| {{yes}}

| {{partial|Executive}}

| Directorial debut

2013

| Star Trek Into Darkness

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2014

| The Amazing Spider-Man 2

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{partial|Executive}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/04/alex-kurtzman-roberto-orci-writing-sequel-to-amazing-spider-man-261109/|title=Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci Re-Writing Sequel To 'Amazing Spider-Man'|first=Mike|last=Fleming|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 24, 2012|access-date=April 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017180406/http://www.deadline.com/2012/04/alex-kurtzman-roberto-orci-writing-sequel-to-amazing-spider-man/|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=live}}

2017

| The Mummy

| {{yes}}

| {{partial|Story}}

| {{yes}}

Producer only

Eagle Eye (2008)
The Proposal (2009) (Executive producer)
Now You See Me (2013)
Ender's Game (2013)
Now You See Me 2 (2016)
Rob Peace (2024)
Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)
Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025)

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title !width=65 \| Director !width=65 \| Writer !width=65 \| Executive Producer !width=65 \| Creator ! Notes
1997–1999 \|Hercules: The Legendary Journeys \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
1999–2000 \|Xena: Warrior Princess \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
2000 \|Jack of All Trades \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
2001–2003 \|Alias \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Also supervising producer
2004 \|The Secret Service \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Pilot
2008–2013 \|Fringe \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|Also consulting producer
2010–2020 \|Hawaii Five-0 \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Also developer
rowspan=2\|2011 \|Exit Strategy \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|rowspan="2" \|Pilot
Locke & Key \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}}
2013–2017 \|Sleepy Hollow \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
2015–2016 \|Limitless \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
2017–2024 \|Star Trek: Discovery \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|Episode "Brother"
2018–2020 \|Star Trek: Short Treks \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
2020–2023 \|Star Trek: Picard \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
2021 \|Clarice \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
2022 \|The Man Who Fell to Earth \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
2022–present \|Star Trek: Strange New Worlds \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

!width=65 | Director

!width=65 | Writer

!width=65 | Executive
Producer

!width=65 | Creator

! Notes

1997–1999

|Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}